The phrase “Black Lives Matter” stirs many emotions. If you hear rage in those words, you may feel your own rage swelling in response. But the leaders of the movement have been very clear that the phrase means not that only black lives matter, but that black lives matter, too. We learned in the years of discussion leading up to our Open and Affirming covenant that it is important to reach out explicitly to segments of our population who may feel persecuted, and to say explicitly to them that they are welcome here. We call out to a segment of the population not to single them out or to lift them up, but to welcome them in.

So when your friends in town point to the banner on the church and ask, “What’s that all about?” you can turn to your friends with a smile and tell them what that’s all about to us. And maybe even invite them to worship with us, and join a fellowship that welcomes honest questions with compassionate answers.

Of course all lives matter … we believe that every individual is important
and every person deserves to be treated with justice and compassion.
We live, however, in a society that often suggests otherwise.
Because of the continuing injustice and violence disproportionately faced by people of color,
we affirm that Black Lives Matter.